Welcome to the Men’s Running Awards 2017 – Nutrition Product of the Year.
Over the past few months, a team of independent testers have been putting a number of nominated products through their paces. To find out what ranked as the best in each category, see the results below!
Pre- Race Nutrition
Race-day nutrition can make or break your run, and could be the all-important factor in you bagging that new PB. When it comes to pre-race fuel, always try it in training first, to ensure you don’t end up with unexpected rumblings out on the course. And for optimum performance, look out for products with caffeine added, as it’s proven to up your speed.
Best in Category & Best value – Coconut Fudge Cake Boostball
“THESE ARE EASY TO CARRY IN A RACE BAG AND PROVIDE A NOTICEABLE BOOST (APPROPRIATELY ENOUGH) PRE-RUN” – ISAAC
£17.99 (Pack of 12) || WWW.BOOSTBALL.COM
Editor’s Choice – High 5 Zero X-treme
“TASTY, EASY TO USE AND KEPT ME FEELING HYDRATED AND FRESH”- ANDY MCMANUS
£7.00 || WWW.HIGHFIVE.CO.UK
Mid- Race Nutrition
Even if you’ve taken on board some pre-race food, your body can only store enough energy (in the form of glycogen, stored in the muscles and liver) to run for 90 minutes to two hours. To avoid ‘hitting the wall’ you should aim to take on regular fuel during longer races or training runs. For maximum performance benefit, aim to take on around 60-90g of carbohydrate per hour. For races, choose readily available carbs such as energy gels and isotonic sports drink and, in training – when you’ll be running at an easier pace – take on snacks.
Best in Category – Good Full Stop fruit & snack bars
“VERY PALATABLE TASTE PACKED INTO A BAR THAT’SEASY TO CARRY”- ROB TUDOR
£0.72 || WWW.GOODFULLSTOP.COM
Best Value – HIGH5 ENERGY GEL
“INITIALLY I FOUND THE TASTE A LITTLE SWEET, BUT IT’S EASY TO DIGEST AND DOES PROVIDE A NOTICEABLE MID-RACE KICK” – JAMES MCGLYNN
£1.00 || WWW.HIGHFIVE.CO.UK
Editor’s Choice – SCIENCE IN SPORT ISOTONIC ENERGY GEL
“THESE PROVIDE AN INSTANT, NOTICEABLE BOOST, TASTE CONSIDERABLY BETTER THAN OTHER, TOO-SICKLY GELS, AND, PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, ARE VERY EASY TO TEAR OPEN ON THE RUN” – ISAAC
£28.00 (pack of 20) || WWW.SCIENCEINSPORT.COM/UK
Post- Race Nutrition
For post-race nutrition, opt for a snack that provides carbohydrates and protein in a 4:1 ratio, to replenish your muscle glycogen stores and fuel muscle repair and recovery.
Best in category – OPTIMUM NUTRITION GOLD STANDARD 100% WHEY
“I’D NEVER CONSIDERED TAKING PROTEIN BEFORE, BUT THIS TASTES EXCELLENT AND IS REALLY EASY TO MIX – DEFINITELY GOING TO CONTINUE USING IT” – CHRIS MILLINGTON
£39.99 || WWW.ONACADEMY.CO.UK
Best Value – BIO-SYNERGY WHEY HEY WATERMELON PROTEIN POWDER
“VERY EASY TO DIGEST AND I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT HOW NICE THE WATERMELON TASTE WAS” – ROB WILSON
£49.99 || WWW.BIO-SYNERGY.UK
Editor’s Choice – HIGH5 PROTEIN RECOVERY
“UNLIKE A LOT OF PROTEIN POWDERS, THIS IS REALLY EASY TO MIX AND GOES DOWN SMOOTH, WITH 18G OF PROTEIN AIDING POST-RACE RECOVERY” – ISAAC
£41.99 || WWW.HIGHFIVE.CO.UK
Superfood
Best in Category – BEET IT SPORT BAR
“I’M A BIG ADVOCATE OF THE POWER OF BEETROOT AND THESE BARS TASTE GOOD – I’D RECOMMEND”- XAN DONNAGHER
£28.99 ( Pack of 25) || WWW.BEET-IT.COM
Best Value – THE RAW CHOCOLATE CO CACAO POWDER
“I LIKE THE FAIRTRADE ETHOS AND IT TASTES GREAT” – STEVE AUGER
£4.19 (180G) || WWW.THERAWCHOCOLATECOMPANY.COM
Editor’s Choice – WHITWORTHS FULL OF SUPER CAYENNE CHILLI FLAXSEED CRISPS
“GOOD TO HAVE STOWED AWAY ON A LONG RUN FOR WHEN GELS AND BARS BECOME TOO SICKLY” – ISAAC
£1.50 || WWW.SAINSBURYS.CO.UK
Healthy Snack
Best in Category & Best Value – GOOD FULL STOP FRUIT & NUT BAR
“REALLY LIKED THESE; EASY TO DIGEST AND TASTED GREAT. COULD EAT DURING A RUN AS WELL AS BEFORE OR AFTER” – CHRIS MILLINGTON
£0.72 || WWW.GOODFULLSTOP.COM
Best Value – MERIDIAN PEANUT & COCONUT BAR
“ANYTHING WITH PEANUT GETS A YES FROM ME, BUT THESE ARE ESPECIALLY GOOD – LEAVE YOU SATISFIED BUT NOT OVERLY STUFFED”- ISAAC
£1.25 || WWW.MERIDIANFOODS.CO.UK
Protein
Protein is an essential macronutrient in our diet, vital for muscle growth and repair, alongside lesser-known functions such as hormone and antibody production. As runners, our protein requirements are slightly higher than the general public, as it forms an important part of recovery after exercise. Consuming a protein snack as soon as possible after a run will stimulate the rebuilding of damaged tissue.
BEST IN CATEGORY & BEST VALUE – BIO-SYNERGY SKINNY PROTEIN SHAKE
“I’M OFTEN WARY OF PRODUCTS WITH ‘SKINNY’ IN THE TITLE, BUT THIS TASTES AS GOOD AS ANY PROTEIN I’VE TRIED, WITH FEWER ARTIFICIAL NASTIES” – TIM REES
£31.99 || WWW.BIO-SYNERGY.UK
Editor’s Choice – MAXIMUSCLE PROMAX BARS
“NOT AS DENSE AS A LOT OF PROTEIN BARS, WITHA RICH, CHOCOLATEY FLAVOUR THAT MAKES FOR THE PERFECT POST-RUN SNACK” – ISAAC
£22.99 || WWW.MAXINUTRITION.COM
Healthy Drink
BEST IN CATEGORY & BEST VALUE – ERDINGER ALKOHOLFREI
“LOOKS AND TASTES LIKE A BOTTLE OF BEER – IT’S A YES FROM ME!” – IAN WRIGHT
£1.20 || INT.ERDINGER.DE/BEER/ALKOHOLFREI.HTML
Editor’s Choice – BEET IT SPORT SHOT
HAD ONE OF THESE BEFORE A RUN-COMMUTE HOME AND RAN QUICKER THAN I HAVE IN AGES. DEFINITELY HELPED TO WAKE UP TIRED LEGS”- ISAAC
£25.00 (Pack of 25) || WWW.BEET-IT.COM